When we think about the enormous amount of traffic that passes incessantly over the highways in New York, we must say that the expression ‘arterial roads’ indeed seems appropriate.
If for some reason those traffic arteries stopped, life in those large cities would soon come to a standstill. The importance of the ‘arterial roads’ in our bodies, the arteries, will only begin to dawn on us when we study them closely.
Even the most attractive human bodies, with shapely limbs and perfect muscular build, will begin to deteriorate and degenerate, just as the gifted and trained brain will begin to fail, when the walls of the arteries thicken and harden and lose their elasticity. Even the anatomical structure of the arteries tells us a great deal about their importance. Imagine a pipe made up of various layers, the inside being a smooth, elastic tube. This tube is covered with other layers that consist of elastic, or loose but tensile, connective tissue.
The tube can withstand a pressure of about 20 atmospheres. Knowing all of this, we already have a certain idea about our main arteries. They have, as well as the heart, their own blood supply. Therefore, the wall of the artery contains a network of small blood vessels, called vasa vasorum.
The arterial wall also has the lymph vessels and the nerves network. The arteries branch out more the further they are from the heart, significantly increasing the overall diameter, the pressure in them lowers, and the wall gets narrower. The diameter of the arterial capillary is fifty times smaller than a man’s hair.
Arteries in the construction of the body
The Dutch scientist Dr. Hoorne said that the body is made up of blood vessels. He discovered a method of making the vessels visible by injecting them with a red dye. Tsar Peter the Great, who happened to be visiting Holland at that time, was so intrigued by the experiment that he arranged to take some of the dye home with him. Unfortunately, on his arrival in Russia he found that it was no longer useable. The sailors had consumed the alcohol in which it had been placed to preserve it.
Every single one of the billions of cells in our body has access to the uninterrupted flow of the circulatory system. It takes the blood only about one second to move from the arterial capillaries to the venous capillaries. During this second the metabolic process takes place whereby oxygen is withdrawn from the blood and carbon dioxide from the tissue is permitted to enter. At the same time, the nutrients from the blood enter the tissue and the metabolic products from the tissue enter the bloodstream. The blood then flows back to the heart via the venous system.
The circulation of the blood between the heart and the lungs and back to the heart again takes about six or seven seconds. The circulation through the heart, which supplies the myocardium by way of the coronary vessels, takes place in about three or four seconds. The supply of blood to the brain takes eight seconds and to the tip of the toes, about eighteen seconds.
One blood cell can make about 3,000 round trips in the course of a day. The cells are moving about incessantly, day and night. It seems that nothing in the world is fonder of travelling than our blood cells.
Beginning at the heart, a cell reaches the loop of the capillaries with a swift motion. The further away it gets, the slower the motion becomes because of the thinner vessels. At last it delivers its load, as an express messenger would do, and begins immediately its return trip through the venous system. Physical stress, cold weather, excitement and fever make the blood cell speed up its pace.
On the other hand, depression and psychological upsets cause it to slow down. In these situations, billions of cells receive inadequate nourishment and illness may result if the situation is not remedied by means of a positive psychological influence on the individual. This goes to show that depression and similar psychological problems may lead to physical illness if they continue for any length of time.
Narrowing and hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis)
A narrowing or hardening of the arteries has serious, in time even incurable, consequences. The victim literally degenerates, both physically and mentally. To this day more people in the civilized, industrialized world, especially in Europe, the United States and Australia die of diseases of the arterial walls, and the number of deaths is on the increase. The length of our life is often determined solely by the condition of our arterial walls.
Hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) begins with a small alteration, which looks like a flat sore or ulcer. This sore then develops into a growth of the connective tissue, followed by a deposit of calcium salts, and the inside of the artery becomes gradually narrower and the blood has less space in which to circulate. The artery loses more and more of its elasticity, eventually becoming hard and brittle.
The blood pressure then rises. The consequences are manifested in the form of thrombosis or embolism of the brain and cerebral hemorrhage. Dilation of the heart or hemorrhage of a blood vessel near the heart, as well as nephrosclerosis (nephritis due to a hardening of the kidney blood vessels) may also occur.
Causes of arteriosclerosis
- The disease can be caused by foods that contain a lot of fat, in particular animal fat, which can significantly increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
2. Rich foods, particularly with a lot of protein, especially meat, eggs and cheese, lead to a disease.
3. Excessive alcohol consumption harms the capillaries and the arteries.
Protection and remedies
- A consistent diet with natural rice, whey and salads creates wonders. This diet will lead to a normal blood pressure, and you won’t have to take strong medications. At the same time it is a simple method which allows the regeneration of blood vessels in the very beginning of the disease. Observations and experiments from Asia suggest that rice bran also enhances the regeneration of arteries.
- For prevention and treatment of this disease, plants that contain iodine are found to be useful, primarily sea plants. Due to these properties, sea plants are added to spices and seasonings, such as: Kelpamare, Trocomare, Kelpaforce and Kelpasan.
Other medicinal and aromatic plants also work well, for example. watercress (Nasturtium officinale), horseradish (Cochleria armoracia), garlic (Allium sativum), and in small quantities onion and leek (Allium cepa and Allium porrum). Other useful products are the ones made from Rauwolfia. A well known product is made from a combination from Rauwolfia and mistletoe.
- It is useful to breathe deeply and inhale fresh air with plenty of oxygen, while running or walking in the woods or mountains and the sea. Seriously ill people should not go in the mountains because of the diluted air and the risk of a stroke.
People who spend a lot of time sitting should try a simple treatment. Those who are not weak and older should spend their free time outside, instead of sitting at their desks.
Preventing various diseases
One does not have to be a fanatic in order to admit that modern, civilized man is living somewhat dangerously. Just think of all the conveniences we have gained from technology in our age of motor cars and mechanization. They bring less activity outdoors and cause pollution of the air.
Our indulgence in refined food products does not exactly contribute to good health. The arteries degenerate as a result of the drawbacks of our lifestyle; symptoms of old age appear much too early, decreasing our efficiency and productivity and sometimes bringing an early end to our lives. The average increase of our life span, due to a reduction in infant mortality, does not change this picture either.
It is not a question of reaching an advanced age by artificial means, by the use of drugs and special therapies, while our body is ailing and vegetating. Rather, it is much better to live to a ripe old age and still be in good health. Our life-style and what we eat should be governed by the laws of nature and not by the dictates of society, which have gone awry and, at best, contribute very little to our physical well-being.
